Supporting exploratory information seeking in public digital libraries

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The digital library search interfaces offered by public libraries are often designed to maximize simplicity, supporting look-up tasks when searchers know precisely what they need (e.g., the exact name of a book). While such approaches may support the simple search tactics needed to find a specific item in the library, they provide little support when the search task is complex.Complex search tasks are characterized by ambiguity and uncertainty, may be multi-faceted, and could stem from complexity in the source information itself. For example, a public library searcher may wish to find books on the history of western expansion in Canada, without knowing much else about the topic or how it relates to other political events such as the North-West Rebellion. In such cases, exploratory browsing may allow the searcher to learn about the topic, followed by focused searching to find supporting resources. Without features in the search interface to enable such exploratory search activities, the success of the search depends on the abilities and experience of the searcher.The primary goals in this research are to (G1) develop a deeper understanding of the information seeking behaviour of public library patrons, (G2) design, implement, and study new visualization-enhanced approaches for digital library search interfaces that support exploratory search behaviours in both stationary and mobile device use, and (G3) study how the context of the search (in the library vs. out of the library; stationary vs. mobile device use) can be leveraged to more effectively assist the exploratory search behaviour of public library patrons. A new breed of public library search interface will be developed that uses interactive information visualization to support and enhance the exploratory search needs of public library patrons, enabling them to more readily find the information they are seeking.